Stupid Cop, Stupid Leftist

A current controversy in Denver revolves around a cop who ordered a woman to remove her “F--- Bush” bumper sticker from her car.

A Denver police sergeant is under investigation for allegedly threatening to arrest a woman Monday for displaying on her truck a derogatory bumper sticker about President Bush.

"He told her that this was a warning and that the next time he saw her truck, she was going to be arrested if she didn't remove the sticker," said Alinna Figueroa, 25, assistant manager of The UPS Store where the confrontation took place. "I couldn't believe it."

Denver police have initiated an investigation into the alleged incident, said Police Chief Gerry Whitman. He declined to comment further.

About 11 a.m., Shasta Bates, 26, was standing in the shopping center store in the 800 block of South Monaco Parkway when a man walked in and started arguing with her about a bumper sticker on the back of her truck that had "F--- Bush" in white letters on a black background.

"He was saying it was very sick and wrong and you shouldn't be doing that," Bates said. "He was very offended by it. I said, 'You didn't have to take it so personally.' "

The two argued for a few minutes, and then the man walked out of the store and stood behind Bates' truck. A few minutes later, the man flagged down police Sgt. Michael Karasek, who was patrolling the area.

Rocky Mountain News reporter Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, who happened to be at the store at the time, walked up to the two and asked what was going on.

The man pointed the bumper sticker out to McCrimmon, and then Karasek told her that it was illegal because it was profane, McCrimmon said.

Simply put, the sticker is constitutionally protected. Cohens v. California, decided some 25 years ago, holds that the use of profanity as a part of a political statement is legal. Absent a direct incitement of violence, or the effect of initiating sexual arousal, there is no constitutional basis for banning that particular word, civility notwithstanding.

On the other hand, I’m sure that Ms. Bates and her ilk will not take any offense whatsoever when I suggest that they can all “F--- off.” After all, President Bush has twice won elections for president, and this American is sick and tired of their whining.